Companies Tout Plans for Nationwide Wireless Using Low-Power TV Spectrum

Something is going on in the traditionally sleepy low-power TV market. Exactly what isn’t totally clear — but what is clear is that it has very little to do with traditional LPTV broadcasting and a lot to do with mobile broadband.

A consortium of LPTV station owners has applied to the Federal Communications Commission to sell 52 LPTV stations, including seven construction permits, to a company called Landover Wireless. According to the Landover Wireless website, the company already has acquired “hundreds” of licenses in the 500-600 MHz band and continues to “aggressively acquire” spectrum in the secondary market with the goal of obtaining nationwide coverage. The company said it seeks “opportunities to partner with independent telcos and fiber network operators to develop a wireless overlay strategy for both fixed and mobile wireless broadband.” Potentially the company would allow small telcos to use its spectrum to build wireless infrastructure and would offer the fiber network operators some incentive to provide backhaul facilities. It’s not clear what the company means by “overlay strategy.”